Toolkits for west families – P7 Treatmum thisMother’s Day – P12 Western Leader Life saving surfer Tuesday, May 3, 2016 YOUR PLACE, YOUR PAPER JAYBOREHAM Fighting strong currents and surf to save a swimmer in distress at Goat Island Marine Reserve has earnt Chris Sharland praise from the police. ‘‘The sea conditions were rough and she was in imminent danger of drowning,’’ Senior Sergeant Glenn Adkins says. Sharland received a District Commander’s certificate of appreciation from Rodney police for his actions during the November 5 incident. The surfer from Laingholm had just left the water for the day and was about to join his partner Charlotte Gray and relax on the beach when he was alerted to a lady in trouble. ‘‘Apparently she had been treading water for a couple of hours,’’ Gray says. The woman had been motion- ing to family members on the beach, she says. ‘‘They thought she was just waving at them, like – ‘Hi’.’’ Sharland retrieved his board from his car and rushed out to the exhausted woman. ‘‘She was quite far out, but I think the best thing was she was super calm,’’ he says. He got her on to his board and slowly paddled in. Metres from the beach they were caught by strong currents and were swept against nearby rocks. The pair suffered substantial abrasions and bruising. ‘‘It wasn’t super gnarly or any- thing, but we got bashed against the rocks a little bit,’’ Sharland says. Family members and police struggled to get the woman, described by Gray as being around 100 kilograms, up out of the water as it surged around them. Back on shore, paramedics found the woman had taken on a lot of water, he says. ‘‘Once the chopper turned up Laingholm resident Chris Sharland has been recognised by the police for rescuing a woman from dangerous seas. ‘‘Once the chopper turned up shewas well looked after.’’ Chris Sharland she was well looked after,’’ Sharland says. The woman was taken to hospital where she stayed for a few days, he says. The self-effacing surfer says he didn’t expect to be recognised for his actions. ‘‘It’s just one of those things anyone else would probably do,’’ he says. Police and family struggled to get the woman over rocks and out of the water after the rescue. FEELING CHILLY Dr Libby has advice for peoplewhofeel the cold – P19 GANTRY FOR SALE Dennis’ work atWaterviewis almost complete –P9 BOOKS ARE IN Books are better and there’s a lot more of them –P5 6780235BT inside today